Victoria

The Politics Of Smoke Alarms

From 1993 to 2015, CSIRO conducted tests on smoke alarms but the public is yet to read the findings. This comes at a time when activists want ionised smoke alarms banned due to alleged issues with response times to common fires. In America, the alarm...
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How To Avoid Renovation Traps

Renovations done right can pay off. Literally. That said there are some serious traps to avoid. Potential problems from wiring to asbestos issues often come up especially in older houses, so it’s important to seek professional help. Jim’s Buil...
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Property Management and Smoke Alarms are Good Friends

Property management and smoke alarms are good friends. Or at least they should be. Worst possible scenario: Inaction can lead to deaths and a stint in prison. It’s a familiar story, even in developed countries, however. From one BBC report: “A...
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Proposed New Tax To Help Home Owners Remove Asbestos

Did you know that 1 in 3 Australian homes contain asbestos? With home renovations on the rise, many Australian's are purchasing homes built before 1985 with the intention of doing small renos through to complete rebuilds. Unfortunately, many people a...
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Building Inspection Reports - the ultimate negotiation weapon

Rising damp and termite damage. Two issues that would normally send shivers down your spine and see potential buyers running for the hills. But what if you could you turn a negative building inspection report, into the ultimate negotiation weapon?...
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EXPLAINED – Owner Builder Warranty Inspections & S137B of the Victoria Building Act 1993

You're an owner builder and it is time to sell your home. The last thing you want is for your hard work to be a hindrance to potential purchasers who have reservations about quality or compliance, just because the works weren't part of a major domest...
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Concrete stumps are not immune to decay under extreme conditions.

Many elevated properties sit on some type of stump support whether it be timber , steel , masonry or concrete . Whist most people would consider concrete stumps to be maintenance free , this is far from the truth . Recently one of our Building Inspe...
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Beating the Dangerous World of Mould - Related Illnesses

Moving to a share house is an exciting adventure for young adults. At least, that’s the theory. So when healthy Tim Kirby started losing weight, developing insomnia, experiencing frequent headaches and battling fatigue, he was in search of answers....
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Things to consider when building your first home

You might decide that rather than buying an established property as your first home, it would better suit you to build. Building your first home can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. Building allows you to customise your home from t...
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Buying Off-The-Plan Housing Needn't Be Scary

Buying an off-the-plan house needn’t be scary if you make smart choices. One important choice: Seeking out experts in New Construction – and Jim’s Building Inspections is a good place to start. Buying off-the-plan with professional guidan...
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